Watchcase



No. 748,590. PATENTED JAN. 5, 1904..4 W. W. DUDLEY.

WATCHCASE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 22. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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Patented January 5, 1904..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. DUDLEY, .OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRENTON WATCH COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WATCHCASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 748,590, dated January 5, 1904.

Application filed September 22, 1902. Serial No. 124,315. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM W. DUDLEY,of Trenton, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Case-Shoulders for Watch- Movements, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings designating like parts.

This invention relates to watches, and more particularly to the portion oi' the watch known as the case-shoulder, formed upon the movement adjacent the periphery of the dial and usually constituted bya flange integral with the pillar-plate and projecting therefrom near the face of the watchin such a manner as to engage a seat upon the case.

It has been a common practice for many years to fit the dial within a recess formed in the face of the pillar-plate, the depth of the recess varying according to the thickness of the dial, so that with a thin dial a shallow recess may be used, while for a thick dial a deep recess will be indicated. To avoid the expenditure of time and waste of material involved in recessing the pillar-plate to form the dialreceiving recess, I provide the required space for the reception of the dial by the employment of a ring formed separately from the pillar-plate and fitted to the latter, so that it will project the desired distance above the surface thereof and upon the eX- terior of said ring form the case-shoulder. Preferably the central aperture of this ring will be of sufficient size to receive the pillarplate, with a shallow enlargement in which will be fitted a dial of greater diameter than the pillar plate and limiting the degree of entrance of the latter into the aperture, the ring serving as a protection for the dial when the latter is removed from the movement, as will be understood upon inspection of the drawings, in which this and the various other features of my invention will be illustrated fully, and will be described in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows in vertical section so much of a watch-movement as is necessary to understand myinvention, which has been embodiedin the construction thereof. Fig. 2 shows the various parts ready for assemblage; and Fig. 3 illustrates a smaller size of movement, with a filling-ring to enable its use with the dial-case-shoulder ring and dust-band shown in Figs. l and 2.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration and description as a convenient form to enable a ready and complete understanding of myimprovements, the portion designated by the reference-nu meral l is the body portion of a ring, preferably of metal and formed most conveniently from tubing of proper diameter, 2 designating the aperture to receive Vthe dial 3, which may be secured therein by any suitable means, as by burnishing the material of the ring against the edge of the dial, as indicated at 2, while a shoulder 4 may be provided to act as a seat for the dial.

The material of the ring will he extended, as at 5, to present a flange to serve as a caseshoulder, coperating with the case-seat a in a manner which will be understood readily by those skilled in the art, and a convenient mode of connection between the ring and pillar-plate 6 is illustrated in the screw 7, shown in Fig. l as passing through a hole 8 in the dial-ring into corresponding hole 9 in the pillar-plate. With such a ring, having a case-shoulder flange, but with its body portion of a suitable diameter to enter the casecenter A within the case-seat, many advantages are secured beside the protection of the dial, and among said advantages of especial importance is the ability to utilize a pillarplate of simple contour, over which may be slipped and held frictionally a dust-band 10, cooperating with the body of the dial-ring in the manner illustrated in Fig. l.

With pillar-plates of simple contour the important feature of interchangeability can be secured readily, as shown in Fig. 3, in which the numeral ll designates the pillarplate of a movement of smaller size than that shown inl Figs. l and 2, but with the simple addition of a filling-ring l2 of light construction the movement Il can be used with the same dial, dust-band, and case, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The importance of this capability will readily be understood, since by carrying a few filling-rings in stock the dealer IOO can Without the necessity for special machinewvork it a movement of small size into a larger case to satisfy the taste of a custorner who may Wish a Watch of a given size, but relatively light in Weight.

Suitable attaching means, such as the screw 13, may be provided to secure the pillar-plate and filling-ring together.

The Watchcase illustrated, With its casecenter A, screw-back d', and bezel a2, having a crystal d3, is of Well-known form; but any other suitable type of case may be utilized.

Having thus described and illustrated my improvements fully, I Wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the specific details of construction set forth nor in general otherwise than as set forth in the claims read in connection with this specification.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. As an improvementin Watches,the combination of a Watchcase-center, a bezel,a pillar-plate,a ring encircling the pillar-plate and attached thereto, and having on its exterior a peripheral liange to engage a seat on the ange to engage a case-seat, and a dial of 4o larger diameter than the pillar-plate fitted to and carried by said ring and lying against the pillar-plate.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 18th day of 45 September, A. D. 1902.

WILLIAM W. DUDLEY. Witnesses:

ANDREW OROURKE, HARRY H. WALTON. 

